Council periodically updates Flood Studies and Floodplain Risk Management Plans for all creeks, lakes, lagoons, and estuaries on the Central Coast. With respect to Tuggerah Lakes, Council adopted the Floodplain Risk Management Plan in 2015, which itself was based on computer modelling data from the Flood Study from 1994. Council has initiated a review of these documents, starting with the Flood Study.

Council has engaged Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (MHL) to prepare a review of the Tuggerah Lakes Flood Study. The study is being undertaken by Council with funding assistance from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment and will be managed in accordance with the NSW Government’s Flood Prone Land Policy.

This Flood Study represents an important step in the floodplain risk management process, whereby Council will gain a comprehensive technical understanding of the nature of flooding around Tuggerah Lakes using advanced computer modelling software. Following this study, Council will review the Floodplain Risk Management Plan, which uses the results of the Flood Study as the foundations for developing and reviewing floodplain management initiatives that are designed to help mitigate the effects of flooding.

The aim of the study is to:

  • Update the previous flood study using the most current information and technologies
  • Help better understand local flooding problems along the lake foreshore
  • Build community resilience by informing better planning of development, emergency management and community awareness
  • Develop information to assist in future floodplain management activities to reduce flood impacts on the community and risk to life.

Have your say

Community involvement is essential to the success of the floodplain risk management process. It enables the community to:

  • Contribute local knowledge of flood behaviour
  • Directly influence the calibration of flood models

The community were invited to complete a questionnaire by Friday 16 December 2022. All survey information will be kept confidential and will only be used for floodplain risk management purposes.